This is not the band you thought you knew, the band that could once craft authentic and warm pop music at the drop of a hat. It’s the residue of that band making a cynical attempt to polish the gloss off their music to a dull matte to the benefit of the lowest common denominator of pop listeners. On that score, it certainly worked.
Fitz and the Tantrums is an album that feels, by some bizarre paradox, like both a product of contemporary market forces and a depressing relic of an era of the music industry best forgotten.
The combination of frenzied instruments tripping over each other and a heaping pile of useless lyrics leads to something that lacks listenability. The effect is that of the most annoying a cappella group on a college campus snorting some pixie sticks and following you around urging you to donate to their show costume fund through song.
"Fitz & the Tantrums" is anything but dull. It's a funky sound and their voices are quite catchy and dynamic. All in all, this is a perfect summertime album - upbeat, interesting, and fun. Take it to the beach and enjoy the rest of the summer.
✅ HandClap | Complicated | Roll Up | Tricky | Get Right Back | Do What You Want | Walking Target
The self-titled, third album by Fitz & the Tantrums has to be the sloppiest, and messiest record released by the band. There's little sense of direction, and it's zany vibe feels stunted. A handful of decent pickings can be sprinkled, but otherwise, a very underwhelming effort.
Favorite track: HandClap
I have no words. Fitz and the Tantrums were the shining lights of the alt-pop world. Can't tell by this tragedy of a record. I hope they realize that no matter how popular The Walker and Out of My League were they're gonna be remembered as the band that made Handclap. *shudders*
1 | HandClap 3:13 | 58 |
2 | Complicated 3:11 | 49 |
3 | Burn It Down 3:21 | 39 |
4 | Roll Up 3:38 | 66 |
5 | Tricky 3:27 | 33 |
6 | Fadeback 3:00 | 11 |
7 | Run It 3:29 | 22 |
8 | Get Right Back 3:44 | 28 |
9 | Do What You Want 3:12 | 30 |
10 | Walking Target 2:36 | 14 |
11 | A Place for Us 3:32 | 33 |
12 | Fool 3:09 | 52 |